Faculty and Staff

Cindy started her teaching career as a certified teacher in South Carolina, where she taught 4th grade at a public elementary school. In 1995, she was honored with the South Carolina District 5 Sallie Mae Teacher of the Year award. She also worked as an elementary school teacher in Augusta, GA, where she eventually became a teacher-training advisor.

After moving to Massachusetts, Cindy became the director of the children’s ministry at the MetroWest Baptist Church. She taught art at the Creative Movement and Arts Center in Needham and at Westgate Christian Academy. Cindy is married with two children, who are both Veritas graduates. In her spare time, Cindy enjoys traveling with her family. Cindy was instrumental in founding Veritas Christian Academy and has served as Principal since 2010.

Lisa Gerdes spent her early years in a little village in the Alps where she developed a love for languages, speaking both French and English fluently, as well as some Greek. After moving to the U.S., she studied Latin and Spanish and later graduated from Smith College with a B.A. in Chemistry and a minor in English. At Smith, she came to a knowledge and faith in Christ and grew in her faith with a strong apologetics foundation. She holds a Certificate of Christian Studies from the Ockenga Institute Distance Learning School of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Prior to teaching, Lisa worked as a Marketing Manager for eight years, marketing products related to chemical manufacturing and water treatment. During that time, she also completed several courses towards a Masters of Information Systems. Then, as a private consultant, she spent six years doing market research reports for private clients in the chemical manufacturing and fuel cell industries. After the birth of her first child, Lisa began to teach, serving as a Latin and Mathematics teacher since 2003. She attends Grace Chapel and is active as a small group leader and a volunteer with Project Angel Tree and Sunday School. Lisa has taught at Veritas since 2010 and was instrumental in founding Veritas Christian Academy and shaping its curriculum.

A native of Connecticut, Mrs. Smith is a graduate of Liberty University, where she studied Elementary Education with a focus in Science. Allison enjoys reading and singing and is excited to be a new Massachusetts resident, as she and her husband recently moved from Rochester, NY. Allison joined Veritas Christian Academy in 2017.

Associates Degree in Early Childhood, Mass Bay Community College; coursework at Harvard University Division of Continuing Education; currently pursuing a BA in Education at Lesley College

Originally from Guatemala, Odra Andrea Garcia came to the United States when she was 13 and has lived in Massachusetts ever since. Andrea is married and the mother of a son and two daughters, all of whom attend Veritas. Mrs. Garcia holds an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts with concentration in Education from Mass Bay Community College and is completing a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Lesley College.

Because of her personal journey as an immigrant child who had to adjust to a new country and culture, she developed a love and compassion towards children, especially when they are facing a transition stage in their lives. She knows how important it is for children to find a place where they can feel secure and at home. She works hard in creating that type of environment in her classroom, where children can enjoy: reading in a cozy chair, using their imaginations to create colorful collages in the art area, challenging themselves by adding patterns, writing their first letters, or sharing stories at group time.

Mrs. Garcia has been a teacher since 1995, when she started as a volunteer at Boston Children’s School, a private school in Boston, and later hired as a preschool teacher.

Since 2002, Mrs. Garcia and her husband serve as Sunday School coordinators for over 100 children at the Congregation Lion of Judah in Boston, her home church since she arrived to this country. They also assist with the young children’s curriculum, supervising the work of 15 volunteer teachers.

Mrs. Garcia has been the Kindergarten teacher at Veritas since 2010. She is fluent in Spanish and enjoys summers in New Hampshire with her family. She believes that nature speaks volumes about our Creator.

BA in Social Work, West Texas A&M University; Montessori Early Childhood Credential, Montessori Center for Teacher Education, San Diego CA

Jessica graduated from West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas, and soon realized she had a passion for teaching. She received her Montessori Early Childhood Credential and has taught for four years, serving in an early childhood classroom at a Montessori school and a primer classroom at a private Episcopal school.

She moved to Massachusetts in 2016 so her husband could pursue his education at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Jessica enjoys partnering in ministry with her husband, who is the youth pastor at Westgate Church in Weston. She also enjoys reading, traveling, crafting, and going on walks with their dog. Jessica has taught at Veritas since 2016.

Colleen Wolf grew up in upstate New York and attended Eastern Nazarene College, where she met her husband of 25 years. Both Colleen and her husband, Steve, became educators and lived in Kansas City, MO, where Steve grew up. They have four children, whom Colleen had the privilege of homeschooling in their early grades. They moved back to the Boston area when Steve took a position as Associate Professor at Eastern Nazerene College. After Steve died in 2004, Colleen completed her Masters degree in Reading and her Reading Instruction Specialist certification/license.

In 2013, Colleen received her Gesell Institute of Child Development certification for observation and assessments on the campus of Yale University. Colleen has been a classroom teacher/Reading Specialist, helping in administration for almost 16 years now. Her interests include tennis, swimming, ballroom dancing, praise team worship leader, and Bible study. Colleen has taught at Veritas since 2013 and is the K-2 Department Head.

Anna received a bachelor's degree from Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan for Elementary Education with minors in math and language arts. Since then she has taught a K-2nd grade summer school class and worked as an assistant teacher in a 3rd/4th grade classroom. Her hobbies are sewing, crafting, and going on family outings exploring the East Coast.

Anna, her husband, and young daughter relocated from the midwest three years ago. Anna joined Veritas in 2015.

BS in Nursing, University of New York at Buffalo; Coursework at the International School of Theology

Lillian is a graduate of The State University of New York at Buffalo, where she received a degree in Bachelor of Science in Nursing. After graduation, she worked as a RN on a Pediatric Oncology floor. Although she loved nursing and working with children, she realized that, as a nurse, her primary role was meeting their physical needs. Her heart’s desire was to reach children and their parents spiritually. It was during this time that the Lord confirmed His calling on her life to join Campus Crusade for Christ as a staff member.

She loved working with college students on campuses in New York and Massachusetts, including Boston University, Wellesley College, Harvard, MIT, and the University of Massachusetts, where she met her husband, David. After the birth of their first child, Lillian was a stay-at-home mom and homeschooled all of their children. She was instrumental in founding and leading FAITH, a Metrowest homeschool co-op. When her children started high school, Lillian and David were called full circle, and they helped to found a Cru group (Campus Crusade for Christ) at Natick High. Lillian is married with three children and has taught at Veritas since 2012.

MS in Science Education, Montana State University; BSN with Special Honors, University of Colorado; Science Apologetics certificate, Reasons to Believe

Nancy is a third-generation native of Colorado who knew from an early age that she wanted to go into life science. After starting college as a biology major, intent on going into research, she sensed God’s calling to go into nursing. She graduated with special honors from the University of Colorado with a BSN. Her varied work experience included teaching nursing assistants through two different organizations. Nancy homeschooled her four boys through middle school and during that time, helped found Waltham Area Teaching Christian Homes (W.A.T.C.H.), an educational co-op. After teaching classes through W.A.T.C.H., Nancy decided it was time to enter teaching full time. She taught middle school math and science at Westgate Christian Academy for six years. Nancy completed her Master of Science in Science Education from Montana State University in June of 2010 and holds a certificate in Science Apologetics from Reasons to Believe. She has taught at Veritas since 2010.

Marah Snoeyink grew up on the island of Key Biscayne, a part of Miami, Florida. Though she grew up in a non-Christian home, Marah was actively involved in the youth group at the local church. She chose to follow Jesus, attended Bible studies, performed in church musicals, and went on mission trips.

While attending Swarthmore College, Marah learned the importance of understanding and articulating her own faith. She trained and served on the campus leadership team with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Marah graduated from Swarthmore with a double major in Psychology and Education and a concentration in Theater.

Desiring more knowledge and training to share her faith, Marah attended Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, where she graduated Cum Laude with a Masters in Religion, focusing on Cross-Cultutal Missions Studies and Education.

Marah is a certified K-6 teacher and has over 10 years teaching experience. She has taught from age 3 to adults. Marah has taught in a variety of settings, ranging from public school and theater classes to Montessori and adult ESL classes.

Marah’s other experience includes directing the children’s ministry at two churches and singing on many worship teams. Married with two children, Marah loves singing, drama, traveling, reading, and being outdoors. She has taught at Veritas since 2010.

MA in Teaching (M.A.T.), Simmons College; BA in Politics and Education, Wheaton College

A graduate of Simmons College and Wheaton College, Merrianne has taught English and Language Arts in a wide variety of public, charter, and private schools. She has focused primarily in middle schools, having taught at a public middle school in Newton, MA and at charter schools in Boston and Roslindale. She also has experience at the high school level, teaching Language Arts at Bradford Christian Academy and the Newman School in Boston, where she taught as a summer school English teacher. Merrianne also has a heart for college students, having worked with international students at Lasell College.

MA, Music Education, University of Massachusetts; BA University of Lowell; Music Certified by Musikgarten

Joan Hatfield is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, where she earned her Masters of Music in conducting, and Bachelors degrees in Music Education and in Clarinet Performance, graduating Magna Cum Laude. She also holds a certificate from Musikgarten, a program for teaching music to young children, and has completed many courses in music technology. She has been a Massachusetts-certified teacher since 1983 and has taught private woodwind lessons for more than 30 years. She taught in the Shrewsbury Public Schools for 12 years, teaching middle and high School instrumental music, general music, concert band, marching band, jazz ensemble, music theory, and chorus. She also taught music at Westgate Christian Academy for 11 years, where she expanded her teaching to include preschool and elementary students, as well as directing musical performances.

She is a longtime member of Westgate Church, who has been involved in youth group, Sunday school, VBS, and choir. She is a workout fanatic and an ultimate cross trainer. Joan is married with two children and has taught at Veritas since 2010.

Natasha grew up in Connecticut where her family was very active in their community and church. She attended Harding University for both her undergraduate and graduate degrees. While at Harding, she was blessed with the opportunity to study abroad in Florence, Italy and participate in several mission trips, including one to Bremen, Germany, where she taught conversational English using the Bible.

Natasha started her teaching career at Central Arkansas Christian School, where she taught middle school and high school English, including Advanced Placement English and served as the Head of the English Department. She was honored with the Teacher of the Year award her first year teaching. She then moved back to New England and taught English and history at a public high school in New Hampshire. After a few years, Natasha accepted an opportunity to become an executive recruiter. Although she had a successful career in business for 13 years, her love for teaching remained, and she longed to return to teaching. Natasha taught English at Veritas Christian Academy during the 2012-2013 academic year and then taught English at Lexington Christian Academy for two years before returning to Veritas in 2016.

MA in Biblical Exegesis, Wheaton College Graduate School; BS in Business Administration, University of Nebraska

Brandon is Lead Pastor at Westgate Church in Weston, MA. He holds an M.A. in Biblical (Hebrew and Greek) Exegesis from Wheaton College Graduate School, and a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

Before coming to New England, Brandon served on the pastoral staff of College Church in Wheaton, Illinois, where he was ordained. During that time he worked as a Ministry Resident and Interim Pastor for Congregational Life. He has also served as pastoral intern at Oak Lake Evangelical Free Church in Lincoln, Nebraska. Prior to that, he and his wife both spent four years on staff with The Navigators at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Brandon and his wife are both originally from Nebraska and have four children. Brandon enjoys spending time with his family, grabbing coffee with friends, grilling all varieties of meat, and watching a good action film. Brandon has taught at Veritas since 2013.

Christine is a graduate of Boston College, where she spent a summer at the Universidad de Valencia in Spain and another summer completing a Spanish translation program at the University of Massachusetts. After graduation, Christine enrolled in Middlebury College in Vermont and spent a year in Madrid, where she earned her MA degree.

Christine worked at Laconia High School and later at Trinity Catholic High School in her hometown of Newton, MA. After marrying and having three daughters, Christine stepped out of the workforce to raise her children. During that time, she volunteered wherever her children where, including Awana, Girl Scouts, PTA, Sunday school and several literacy programs.

Christine looks forward to the privilege working with the dedicated teachers at Veritas Christian Academy, the joy of getting to know her students, and the honor of serving God in this ministry. In her spare time, Christine enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and gardening. Christine has taught at Veritas since 2017.

BA in English and Theater, Eastern Mennonite College; Secondary Education Certification, James Madison University; coursework at Emerson College in creative writing

Kara Miller was raised in an Amish/Mennonite family, and her earliest memories are sitting next to her grandmother in her cape dress and covering, singing hymns a capella on the women’s side of the church. Because her father worked as a foreign service officer, much of her childhood was spent overseas. She graduated high school in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea with an International Baccalaureate Diploma and attended Eastern Mennonite College and James Madison University, where she graduated with a degree in English and Theater and her Secondary Education Certification.

She taught 7th-9th grade English and Drama in Kingston, Jamaica and, after her marriage, taught ESL in Boston’s Chinatown for two years. While raising her children, Kara has been teaching Senior High Sunday School at Newton Presbyterian Church. Though she has been a Christian for as long as she remembers, it was in high school, among friends of many other faiths, that she had to choose Jesus for herself. The experience of asking questions and working out what she believes gave her a passion for God’s Word and a desire to help young adults deal with their tough questions about God. Kara is married with three sons and has taught at Veritas since 2010.

Noelle is a lifelong lover of the arts. She received her BFA in Industrial Design from Rhode Island School of Design and was honored with the Industrial Design Faculty Award. Noelle has taught art to many age groups at public and private schools and summer programs. She has designed sets and props for professional theatre companies and photographers in the area. Her work was once seen in National Geographic magazine. She is also the Children’s Ministry Director at Crossroads Community Church in Framingham, MA where she uses her gifts, working with parents to fuel faith in the next generation. Noelle has taught at Veritas since 2013.

Bachelor of Music, Music Education, University of South Carolina; Master of Music, Choral Conducting, Florida State Univerity

Michele Adams teaches masters level courses at Messiah College as an adjunct professor in the choral conducting program. Previously, Michele served as the Director of Choirs for the award-winning Boston Children's Chorus (BCC). She conducted choirs of all levels, managed the innovative education program, and administered the artistic programming for the 13 choirs and 21-member artistic team. Her choirs collaborated with a rich variety of artists and ensembles, including Kristin Chenoweth, the Boston Pops, and the Portland Symphony Orchestra. She created the BCC Professional Development Workshop for music educators, an event now in its ninth year.

She has served as an educator for students ranging in age from preschool through adult in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New York, Florida, and South Carolina. She has held K-12 teaching certification in three states.

Michele and her husband serve as teachers and musicians in their church and have two daughters attending Veritas. She has taught at Veritas since 2016.

MS in Mechanical Engineering, Seoul National University; BS in Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois; coursework at American University Washington College of Law; currently pursuing coursework at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

Peter has a varied technical and tutoring background. He has worked as a high school math and science tutor and an undergraduate assistant in Urbana, IL. Peter earned his BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign and an MS in Mechanical Engineering from Seoul National University in South Korea. During his time in Seoul, Peter completed research projects for Bain & Co. and Hyundai Motor Corp. After graduation, he worked as a translator and liaison between attorneys and clients at a Korean law firm from 2006-2009.

His heart for serving young adults led him back to the U.S., where he now works as part-time youth pastor and English ministry pastor at the Korean Church of Boston (PCUSA). Peter has taught at Veritas since 2016.

Erin Abraham is a graduate of Framingham State University and a black belt in Kyokushinkai Karate. She has 20 years of experience as a soccer coach and currently helps run the Weston kindergarten soccer program. She has also been the Weston Soccer Club kindergarten director for the past 2 years.

Erin is starting a Masters degree in Education at Framingham State University this fall. She has taught at Veritas since 2014.

Cait earned a dual degree in Spanish and Linguistics, with a minor in French, and formerly worked in foreign language textbook publishing. Living in Framingham with my husband and two sons, Cait enjoys juggling, beekeeping, suburban farming, and aerial acrobatic arts. She is excited to engage Veritas' youngest learners through stories, songs, and simple play.

Bryan was born and raised in Houston. He obtained a bachelors degree in Business Administration and a masters in Theological Studies. Being a NCAA collegiate athlete, deepened his love for fitness and baseball. Bryan has been in full-time ministry for ten years and now has the privilege of being lead pastor of the Banner Hill Church, a newly founded church in Framingham. He and his wife have five children, and Bryan has taught at Veritas since 2017.

Deirdre Lewis is from Stamford, CT and resides in Framingham, MA. She is married with three children who are in all three stages of education. Mrs. Lewis holds a BS in Psychology from Bethune Cookman College in FL and is certified with ACSI (American Christian Schools Association). Her teaching experience includes serving as Lead Teacher at Kids in Distress in Fort Lauderdale, where she taught kindergarten in a therapeutic school and as a teacher at MetroWest Christian Academy in Ashland, MA. Mrs. Lewis attends Celebration International Church, where she is part of the church school teaching team. Her passion for teaching children about God has been evident in her past 25 years of church school teaching. Mrs. Lewis believes there is always “joy in the journey” and her love for her students and the Lord is evident. Deirdre has taught at Veritas since 2013.

Edgardo Rosa was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Massachusetts when he was nine. Edgardo graduated from Liberty University, earning his bachelor degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. In addition to teaching at Veritas, Edgardo serves as Pastoral Assistant and Director of Student Ministries at the First Baptist Church of Sudbury.

Edgardo is blessed to have a beautiful daughter and a beautiful and God-fearing wife. In his spare time, he enjoys playing and watching sports. Edgardo joined Veritas in 2017.

Jocelyn is a Framingham native, where she currently resides with her husband and daughter. Jocelyn earned her bachelor's degree in Business Management from Bentley University in 2012. Upon graduation, she accepted a position working in the accounting department of a software company where she gained experience in collections, accounts payable, and accounts receivable. In her spare time, she volunteered at her local recreation center alongside her husband, leading an afterschool program for underserved teens, exposing and challenging them to think about future academic and career options. Jocelyn LOVES cooking typical Puerto Rican dishes that remind her of her family back in Puerto Rico. She also really enjoys listening to all types of podcasts, cake decorating, taking family road trips, and fellowshipping with friends and family. Jocelyn joined Veritas in 2015.